Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-16
TRICKY. COMMERCE.
tits Likely to Attract a New Rail
way Here.
The Stickney System Looking this
Way with a Business Eye---Pro-
posed Route from Chicago via Rock
Island TO Keithsburg.

The managers of what is known to the
commercial world as the Stickney system
of railroads which is believed to be TO a
large extent under control of the Illinois
Central, have given notice of an intention
to build line to Rock Island so as to
reach the important business of the three
cities. ]. A. Harley. who was for twelve
years freight agent of the c., R. |. & P.
road in Rock Island, is general traffic
manager of this important system, and
being thoroughly conversant with the
shipping interests of these three cities
business which pays the c., R. /, & P.
alone about $3,000000, it would be nat
ural that he should throw his influence in
the direction of getting his road in here
The system alluded to, which consists
of combination of other roadside
Central Iowa, some of the lines of the
Wabash and some of the Illinois Central
is termed the Minnesota & North western.
The headquarters are at st. Paul and
starting at the twin cities of the north,
the main line runs direct to Chicago over
what is known as The Dubuque route,
and passing through that city in
Iowa and coming as far south
as Freeport in Illinois. Then through
the recently acquired Central Iowa
road, this system has direct line
from St. Paul and Minneapolis through
Marshalltown, the former headquarters
of the Central Iowa, and through Grin
mel and Ottumwa, Iowa, to Moberly,
Mo-, where it splits and runs southeast to
st. Louis and southwest to Kansas CITY
A third trunk leaves the southern line AT
Oskaloosa and Ottumwa for the east,
crossing the Mississippi at Keithsburg
and terminating at Peoria, with other
branches in Iowa, taking in Des Moines,
Fort Dodge and other points.
Now it is understood the determination
is to build new line tapping the main
Chicago line at Sycamore, DeKalb couu>
ty, in southwesterly direction to Keitbs
burg, thus completing the connecting
link between Chicago and Kansas City
II is the intention to so construct th
line that it will include Rock Island. there
by entering into competition for tn,
manufacturing shipments and othe
traffic of the three cities of Moline, Rocl
Island and Davenport the value of whlcl
iustifies all extra expense of constr uctiol
that may be entailed in crossing RocI
river and entering the city.
The surveyors commence their worl
next Thursday, and in the mean tim
the Committee of Twenty have som
very important duties to perform in en-
couraging the bringing of the line o
survey in this direction.
The Importance this system is likely /
attain in the railway world is shown i
the following from the Chicago 1rlbUE
of today
RumOIs are current that the owners q
the Rock. Island and Illinois Central ar
negotiating with the owners of the Min
nesota & Northwestern with view q
securing joint control of the latter road
There is probably some good fouudatio
for the report. 1t has been the opinion
for some time past that the Minnesota 4
Northwestern is for sale if a good pric
can be obtained for it. Both the Roc
Island and Illinois Central could max
excellent use of the property. The Roc
Island needs it TO give it shorter lin
than it now has to St. Paul. and the III
mos Central would at once secure a
outlet from the western terminus of il
Iowa lines to st. Paul. The Minnesot
& Northwestern as an independent lin
can give the Rock Island and Illinois Ger
trail more trouble than any other roads
because it comes more in competitio
with them. In their control they can re
duce this competition so that it can d
neither of them much harm.